It's Late
by Geek-style
Summary: When Mat&Tuon get seperated from their group will romance ensue or will they just kill eachother? R&RPLZ. Hey will you look at that! I actually updated. See, im not dead. just Lazy.
1. Up Up and Away

It's Late By RabidTortise Disclaimer- I own nuttin atall  
  
"Its late Olver, time for bed" said Mat as he poked his head into the purple wagon.Olver was sitting on the floor with Tuon playing Snakes and Foxes."Again",Mat thought wryly. When was the boy going to realize that there was no way to win at that game without breaking the rules? Ah well, he thought at least its not me being dragged into it anymore .But the funny thing was that Tuon didn't seem to mind it at all, heck, she seemed to enjoy it! He couldn't understand the women at all! And yet he still had to marry her! As soon as that thought processed itself he swore out loud.  
  
"Bloody Aelfinn!" "What was that Toy" asked the bloody high lady. He couldn't understand it . What was a guy like him doing getting married to a woman like her? If he had had his way he would be down at a tavern with a serving wench on each knee. But no. He was stuck in Valen Bloody Lucas bloody flaming circus, or whatever it was called. Stuck in this light forsaken place with the daughter heir to the throne of Seanchen! Why him? What had he done to deserve this fate? Was it because he was Taveren?  
  
"Nothing my lady, just a random thought I had. Come Olver its late , you can play again in the morning." "But Mat, I don't wanna go to bed. I wanna stay up all night and play more Snakes and Foxes." He whined giving Mat a puppy dog look that normally would have said yes to, but tonight he was being carefully watched by his future wife and could not look weak.  
  
"No Olver" he said laughing "You cant stay up all night." "Sorry but Aludra would hand me my head on a silver platter if I let you do that" He said entering the wagon entirely and heading toward him. Olver just had time to pick up his game before Mat swung him over his shoulder like a rag doll. On that note they left the wagon with a simple" Good night ladies" and a tip of his hat with Olver on his back kicking him the whole time and screaming loud enough to wake the dead.   
When the men left their wagon the women in it all had a good laugh. As much as he tried to deny it Mat truly cared for the boy. "Mat huh," thought Tuon "Why do I call him by his name in my mind if I can't say it aloud?" " And why am I even here at all, I could have left on my own long ago" " Maybe its because he intrigues you" replied Seluicia and Tuon realized that she had said that aloud. "You've never meet any body quite like him, In Seanchen everybody obeys your every whim and do nothing without considering the effect it will have to the Empress may she live forever. However this Mat Cauthon does what ever he wants for his own reasons and every one else be damned. I think you've taken a liking to him."  
  
"I have not," Tuon nearly shouted at her handmaiden a little too quickly. As Selucia smirked she turned over on her bed mumbling a good night and blowing out her candle. It was a little to early to be turning off the lights and Mat was supposed to be coming by later to go for a walk with her, but she didn't want Selucia and Setalla to see her blushes.  
  
Mat, the thought of him made her insides go to jelly. She remembered when they first met. He had burst into Tylins Chambers covered in mud, thrown his hat across the room and stopped dead. He then looked incredibly confused for about ten seconds but snapped out it when Tylin addressed him like a pet telling him to go down to the kitchens until she was done.  
  
The thought of him being anybody's pet infuriated her, and yet she had tried to buy him. She still didn't know why. He wasn't the most handsome man she had ever seen but when he looked in her eyes (which he did quite often) she felt as if he was looking into her soul.  
  
Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by an ear piercing shriek breaking the calm of the night . The next thing she knew, Olver was being shoved back into their wagon by a bleeding Vanen. She demanded of him to know what was happening. And all he said was "Trollocs" whatever that meant. But apparently it meant something to Setalla, for she gasped and bolted the door and pulled Olver further into the wagon in one quick motion.  
  
Selucia was demanding of Setalla what Trollocs were while trying to get to the door to peer out. That was exactly what Tuon wanted to do. Curse this damn windowless wagon. It was worse than a prison .Well maybe not. But Damn Mat bloody Cauthon for putting her......  
  
"Oh No!" she exclaimed out loud "Mat! I mean the others!" Suddenly from just to her right, outside of the wagon, "Get them out of here, take them to Andor, Ill lead them away!" It was Mat!   
There were too many of them. Fades and Trollocs all trying to get at him. "Guess they're still after me to get at Rand" he thought wryly. He had to draw they away from the others quickly or they would never make it out of there alive. Maybe he could lose them in the woods if he led them far enough away. But there was no guarantee the menagerie and the Aes-Sedai could all get far enough away. "Not to mention Tuon, Argh why do I keep thinking about her?"  
  
That didn't matter; all that mattered was giving the others a chance. "The odds are slim to none that they'll all chase me, I'll just have to trust to luck!" He grinned at that thought. Luck was always in his favor.  
  
"Vanan" he yelled over the sound of battle "Get Olver in the wagon" He ducked the blade that the Fade was swinging around near his head and impaled it on his Ashendari. Then meting a trolloc blade with his own he watched as Olver was shoved into the windowless wagon and the door was shut behind him. Now was his chance!  
  
"Get them out of here," he shouted gesturing toward the wagons lining their camp, "take them to Andor, I'll lead them away!" Without another word he fought his way clear of the battle surrounding the wagon and started yelling and whistling, trying to catch the Dark creatures attention. It worked, just as he'd hoped it would.  
He got about half of the Trollocs to follow him along with three of the four Fades. His men could fight of the other ones, even though the odds for them were awful they were very well trained.  
  
But enough about them he had his own neck over the chopping block and ran as if the Dark One himself were at his heels. Not that this wasn't bad enough of course. When he made it to the trees he swung up into them like he used to as a child in the Waterwood.He jumped from branch to branch and quickly lost them, but just to me sure they wouldn't go back to the wagons, He hollered for all he was worth the whole way.  
  
After several miles he got silent and left them to hunt him on their own. He had unfortunately dropped his spear when he took to the trees, so for the most part he was weaponless. But he still had his daggers and was far from useless.  
  
When the trees started to thin out Mat was once again forced onto the ground and with his two best defenses gone he was left open from all sides. Suddenly a branch snapped as if steped on not three feet to his right. Mat carefully surveyed the situation and though "Oh blood and ashes, I'm bloody dead. I wish I had told Tuon...told her what? Shoot now I'm confused, oh well I'm going down fighting." And with a roar he turned and made to stab the thing attacking him only to see...  
  
I lurve cliffhangers Enjoy RnR plz 


	2. Nice Arse

It's Late By RabidTortise Disclaimer- If I owned WOT why would I be Writing on FFN?  
  
With a roar he turned and made to stab the thing attacking him only to see.... "Tuon. What in the light are you doing here?" he said while moving the dagger away from its 'to close for comfort' position near her throat.   
Still shaking from her near death experience, Tuon started to tell Mat about how the last Fade had caved in the wall of their wagon and they had to scatter, when he stopped he with a hand over her mouth. "Tell me later" he said, "But right now where are the others? Are they all right? Are you all right? Did I hurt you?" He looked gennualy concerned about her. Or maybe it was just concern for the others. She didn't know.  
  
So she responded truthfully, "The others are gone. They went to Andor just like you said, I don't know if they're all right at all though. But I'm fine." He only lost the worried look on his face at the last answer. "Although I have no idea which way they went." She added as an after thought.  
  
"Oh that's the easy part" he said "A large camp like that one will be simple to track. But for now, Are all the Trollocs gone?" "I have no idea, I had no weapon so I was forced to flee." She was rather ashamed of her actions now, but at the time it was all she could do. "No weapon, at all?" he asked. "Nope, not one. I'm a prisoner remember?" "Oh yeah! Forgot." He answered with a sheepish gin and a hand behind his neck.  
  
Tuon couldn't help but laugh at this display. 'He's so cute! Wait! Cute! Him? Did I just think that!? Oh man, I'm losing it." Her musings were interrupted when Mat handed her a long dagger from his boot. "Here, the lady can not go unarmed into danger now can she?" She didn't reach for the dagger, only stare at it and asked, "Danger, what do you mean?"  
  
"Someone has to go out there to find out which way were going from the trail and I just can't leave you here to fend for yourself. Something might happen to you." That worried look was back on his face and this time she new whom it was for. "Alright" She said reaching for the still proffered dagger.  
  
As she took it her hand brushed Mat's, and she felt something as she jerked her hand back quickly. Had he felt it to? She could only wonder.   
When she finally took the dagger he offered, their hands brushed against one another's. He felt a strangely satisfying shock leap through his entire body just from that simple gesture. Apparently Tuon noticed it too, because she jerked her hand back as if burnt. She looked slightly frightened as they crept into the abandoned field that used to hold an entire circus not a few hours before.   
They made it unnoticed to the collapsed purple wagon, and Mat told Tuon to stay where she was. So she crouched down into the shadows cast by the other wagons left behind in the quick get away. Lucas was gone though she noted with much scorn. The pompous jerk. Probably held up every one else with his selfish desires. "I wonder if everyone is alright," She thought.  
  
Where on earth was Mat? He'd been gone at least fifteen minutes. Well if it was safe for him, than it was safe for her too. So with that thought she started to creep out into the cleaning when suddenly she saw something scuttle towards her through the shadows of the wagons. Panicking she pulled back into the shadows, yanking out the dagger that Mat had given her.  
  
It was more like a short sword to her, but she had never used a sword at all in her life, but she would just have to hope that whatever it was she had seen hadn't seen her. But as the creature moved out of the shadows and towards her, she let out a sigh of relief when she recognized Mats skulking form.  
  
As she slid the dagger/short sword back into the sheath, Mat spoke up, "You don't want to be putting that away quite yet. We've got Trollocs." He spoke in a hushed tone indicating the need for silence. "Come on." He said grabbing her hand and gently pulling her out of the shadows towards the surrounding woods. The shock that swept through Tuon was familiar now and she didn't jerk away at his touch.  
  
It was amazing how their hands just seemed to fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, she mused, as Mat pulled her into the surrounding trees. All thoughts about anything else were banished from her mind as a bestial cry was heard from behind her. Before Tuon could turn around her hand was wrenched from Mat's as she was lifted from the ground by a pair of gigantic arms from behind. She lost her cool completely at that and screamed for all she was worth.   
When Tuon's hand was torn from his, Mat spun into action. Pulling a dagger out from under his coat he turned to stab the Trolloc who held her in the gut just as she shrieked like a banshee . As the Trolloc felt the blade cut into his flesh, he dropped his burden and fell to the ground in shock. Mat was, of course, waiting for this and caught Tuon before she could hit the ground.  
  
With the tiny women in his arms, Mat turned tail and ran for all he was worth in the opposite direction. When he finally stopped for breath a little while later, He set a still shocked princess on the ground. It was hard to believe how light she was, and how small. He hadn't actually noticed it until now. She seemed so fragile just then, almost like a porcelain doll. Not that he would ever be fool enough to say that to her. He might bloody well pick his head up next new moon.  
  
"Damn women" Mat sighed in exasperation "Do you always scream that loud or just when I'm near by?" He asked "My ear is still ringing!" She laughed a little at this and said in mock-hurt. "It's not my fault you didn't protect me" "I did so protect you! If I wasn't around you'd be in a Trolloc cook pot right now, and you know it." "If you weren't around I would still be in Ebou Dar right now." She smirked when she saw his defeated expression. "Okay, fine you win" he hung his head in defeat. "But I did just save your arse right now. And what a pretty little arse it is!" he just had to put in to. Besides it was pretty. He then flashed his best grin at a red face Tuon and turned to walk into the forest.  
  
H'okay, bye bye I'm going on vacation. So I should update in about a week. R&R PLZ 


	3. PMSing

It's Late: RabidTortise There's a computer here so happy!!!!!!!!! Oh yah! Here you go! Disclaimer: I own nothing but my twisted and insane soul.... No wait.. I lost that too. Sold it to some guy for a candy bar! !Also the girls inferiority complex thing belongs to Danni2005, and I did ask her if I could use it, so don't you dare kill me because she said yes! So there! Now then, on with the story!!!!!!  
  
Six day's later, Tuon was still incredibly mad at her traveling companion for his 'pretty little arse' comment, and had long since sworn revenge upon him. It wasn't the comment that made her mad because it was entirely true. She had often been told so by the more daring soldiers back home, but it wasn't his place to say anything like that to her. She was the daughter heir to the Seanchen Empire. No man should treat her like this! No man. Not even Mat Bloody Cauthon! She had to admit though, he was rather handso.... 'NONONONONO! I will not think like that. Not about him, he kidnapped me, he locked me in an uncomfortable wagon, he he.... He rescued me.' She admitted the last in a small voice that was almost too small to be heard. "What was that?" the infuriating man had the audacity to ask her. "Nothing, just thinking." She quickly recovered. "About what?" "You must be pretty strong to shoot a bow that big," Tuon gestured to the Two Rivers long bow he had made for himself "So, How about you show me how strong you really are?" she then challenged, not noticing his smirk. "As you wish, milady." With that he pulled an arrow from his quiver, strung it, took aim, and fired all in quick succession. Tuon could only gape when a bird with Mat's arrow through its head fell to the ground in front of her. "Happy now?" Mat asked with a grin as he watched her stare in shock. It had been only luck that he had hit a bird that high up. But he seemed to have a lot of that. "Well that's dinner. Come on!" He said while pulling the arrow out of its head and walking back to their makeshift camp for the night. Later after they had eaten, Tuon was getting into bed for the night when she turned to ask him "Do you even know where we are?" This question shocked him into silence because he truly had no idea where they were. "No, I don't," he answered softly after a moment "We'll try to find out tomorrow. Go to sleep." With that she turned over and fell asleep.  
Even though Mat was supposed to be keeping watch, he couldn't help but watch her. "What is she doing to me?" he whispered, before turning away to watch the surrounding woods.  
The next morning the two travelers decided to just continue on the way that they had been going for the last week. After walking for about an hour Tuon suddenly spoke up "Which direction are we going in, do you even know that?!" "I told you before I haven't got a clue! Now stop pestering me!"  
"No. I wo...Oww!" Came a painful yelp from Mats traveling companion, somewhere behind him. "What happened?" Mat asked spinning around, knives coming out of his sleeves. He turned ready for a fight only to see Tuon on the ground nursing her ankle. "What happened?" He asked more gently as he went down on his knees beside her, slipping the knife back up his sleeve.  
"Nothing," she replied while getting to her feet, "Nothing at.. owww!!!!" With that she fell again but this time Mat caught her and lowered her to the ground. "Obviously not. Here, let me take a look at it." He responded while gently reaching for her now swollen foot. After a few minutes of prodding at it and having the now very aggravated princess twist it in every which way, he announced that it wasn't broken, only sprained. In his best 'I know what I'm doing, so don't interrupt me because I'm so much better than you' voice (A/N Just like most doctors, don't get me wrong I appreciate their work very much, but in my experience their all pompous jerks) which caused Tuon to laugh through her pain.   
"Alright, I'll just wrap this and we'll be on our way. Okay?" She only nodded so he started to rip a strip of fabric off the bottom of his shirt to wrap it with. "What are you doing, don't you have anything clean?"  
  
"Well excuse me for not being a world renowned healer who always carries all his supplies with him not matter what the situation is. I guess you'll just have to do with an ordinary, every day, down-to-earth, world-renowned healer who just doesn't know the meaning of looking ahead, and carrying all that crud with him wherever he goes no matter what the situation is. So you'll just have to deal with me." He replied all in one breathe grinning the whole time. "You're a world renowned healer Toy? I highly doubt that." "True, but I'll bet that you didn't notice that while your head was trying to catch up to my mouth I finished wrapping your ankle." He responded while she stared down in shock "Now then can you walk on it?" "Of course I can, what do you take, me for, an infant?" All though when Tuon stood up, she promptly fell back down again. "Okay hold on tight" "What are you.. Oh no you don't PUT ME DOWN RIGHT THIS INSANT YOU FOOLISH BARBARION!!!!!" "Now why on earth would I do that," Mat asked with a smug look on his face as he started to carry her through the woods once again. "What if you drop me?" she asked in concern. "Oh your not that heavy." He then replied obviously deciding to get on her nerves with his favorite 'I'm dumber that a pole' routine. "Oh yeah, way to help with a girls inferiority complex issues." Tuon sighed in exasperation. Suddenly Mat stopped walking, and when she looked up at his face he was staring at her with the most adorable confused look that she had ever seen. After a moment he spoke in a far of voice "I have absolutely no idea what you just said." With that he started to move onward again shaking his head all the while. After two day's Tuon was able to walk on her own again without falling. Even though she did stumble quite a bit, Mat was always there to catch her no matter what. And she was ever grateful for that. "So it's called a what?" Mat wheezed out after Tuon finally let go of him "It's called a strangle hold. I already told you that." "Yeah but the bloods just returning to my head so I kind of forgot!" he hissed, his voice full of sarcasm. For the past week Tuon had been teaching him all about wrestling and martial arts, and in return he had been teaching her how to use a knife to her full potential. She had quick hands and learned at an amazing pace, and so he also started teaching her how to use the bow he had made for her. It was a smaller bow than even the young boy's back home used, but she was smaller than most of them, if not all of them. Tuon had grumbled at the size of his bow compared to his and then had actually thanked him for it! But of course she didn't use his name at all. In fact she never had. It was always 'Toy' or 'Foolish man'. He just didn't understand her at all. "I said are you ever listening to me?" Her voice broke trough his musings a moment later. "Huh" "Oh my, what a sophisticated thing to say. You must have thought forever just to come up with that!" she snapped "Hey what's wrong with you? Lately you've been snooty and snobby all the time and I have no idea what's going on. Are you mad at me or something, or are you just PMSing?" He paused at that when she blushed. "Oh, Okay then. I get it, no more questions, lets just go to sleep and forget that this conversation even happened." With that he climbed up into a near-by tree to keep watch for the night. When he looked back down at her she was staring up at him giving her a full view down her dress. Only then did he really notice that in the past two weeks of living it rough she had really fleshed out in certain places, making her strangely desirable in many ways. He tried to clear such dirty thoughts from his mind when she spoke. "Don't you ever sleep? You've been the only one keeping guard at all. It's my turn." "Oh don't worry," he quickly reassured her while shaking his head and turning away to try to hide the red climbing into his cheeks. "I sleep all the time." "When" Tuon challenged with a smirk "When I'm supposed to be keeping watch?" he answered as a question (A/N because he fears her wrath) At this she gave a low throaty chuckle and turned toward her bedding on the far side of the fire. When she was properly situated to fall asleep, she turned her gaze to him and spoke quite clearly "Good night Mat" She they rolled over and fell asleep before she could see him fall out of his tree, which he did. All done done! Review because you love me and I'll give you a cookie. No that's to boring. Ill give you a pizza! BTW If anyone can guess my age and sex I shall make you a character in a chapter to come! H'okay now R&RPLZ 


	4. Just Luck

It's Late: RabidTortise

Disclaimer: I'll admit it, it's all mine. I created it, I wrote it, and I shall now go report Robert Jordan to the Plagiarist people................ Okay, forget I said that I'm a little hyper right now, and I only own this plot line. So plz don't sue me, I'm sorry much! Now then, read on!

BTW: To my reviewers, I Love you guys, you're too good to me. I just love reviews of all kinds and I just might stop writing if I stopped getting them...(HINT HINT) So plz just say what you want to and don't try to care about my feeling's. I want to make this as good as I can, but if nobody likes it, what's the point? So plz review!

To Shaiel- I was on vacation, and decided to have some fun with this. You did bring up a good point that I forgot though, and I guess I'll just have to say that it was cloudy this whole time. Plz continue to review.

Okay here's your story. Enjoy!

'Women' Mat thought to himself the next day. No, of course she hadn't said that, he must have been dreaming, why was it so important to him anyway? "Damn her" he muttered under his breath, glaring at the women walking next to him. Why is it so important to know if she really called him by name or not. It wasn't as if like he cared about her or anything! Of course not! That wasn't it at all! Nope. He didn't care one bit.

'Oh who am I fooling? Not myself for sure.' The truth was that he had come to care deeply for this tiny woman. When she wandered into his life, he wanted nothing to do with her at all. But ever since this little adventure of theirs, he had wanted to get to know her better, find out as much about, and just spend more time with her. Amazing what a little alone time could do to a man.

'All right, I'm okay with that. But how does she feel about me?' Tuon had never even tried to be civil towards him. Mat had been the one to break down those barriers. 'But she did call me by my name. I know I didn't imagine that. I still have the bruises from that fall' He winced at that thought, that had been painful. 'Blood and Ashes! I can't think about a woman right now. No matter how beautiful she is.'

"How big is this forest anyways?" questioned the very women he had spent the last week thinking about. "I already told you, I have no idea where we are! All I know is that were going north." "How do you know this now when you didn't know a week ago?" "A week ago, I was stupid. Now I'm smart, I also looked at the moss on the trees." He answered cheekily. She only chuckled and left it at that, so he did too. 'What am I going to do about her,' he asked himself slipping back into his musings. 'Damn I'm confused. She's good at making me think a thing through, that's one thing. Among many of course, but gheez, I've never been more confused in my life.' "Crack"

When he heard that, Mat stopped dead grabbing onto Tuon's arm, stopping her too. "What are you..." Mat silenced her with a finger over her lips. "Did you hear that?"

He was doing it again. He shouldn't be able to affect her this way. He made her feel noticed, special, wanted, and he didn't even seem to realize it. She shouldn't be thinking about him this way, not when her mother was supposed to chose her husband. There was no way Mat Cauthon was going to get on that list. The empress was to care about her country first, and her family's happiness later. Tuon couldn't hate her mother for that. It's the way Seanchen became so powerful, with strong rulers. But as she felt Mat's finger on her lips and felt him near her, she wished to stay with him forever.

"Did you hear that" the man whom always seemed to be on her mind nowadays asked. He was looking off into the woods as if looking for something. He looked to be concentrating very hard on something, so she decided not to answer. Of course with his finger pressed over her mouth, it would be difficult to anyway. After a few moments of silence, "We need to move now" At that Mat started to drag her through the woods frequently looking over his shoulder as if to make sure they weren't being followed.

"What's going on?" Tuon growled in exasperation. "I'm not sure, but someone following us. Best be on the...LOOK OUT!!!" Mat shouted as he tackled a very surprise princess to the ground. "Move it!" Mat hissed while pulling himself to his feet and stringing his monstrous bow. "What do you," "RUN! NOW!" He shouted at her, shoving her away from him. But before she could move another arrow came whizzing towards her and Mat shoved into her, knocking her out of the arrows path. She heard him growl in pain before he once again shouted, "RUN!" As she turned and started running away from the descending battle she caught sight of an arrow sticking out of Mat's shoulder blade. "Oh No! I'm not running now!" But before she could do anything to help him, Tuon felt something hit her on the head from behind, and her world faded to black.

"Shit, this doesn't look good! At least Tuon's safe." Mat thought as he fired arrow after arrow at the attacking bandits. (A/N what were you expecting? Trollocs?) The arrow he had taken in the shoulder wasn't helping him right now, and his attackers didn't seem to stop coming. He was running out of arrows and was seriously considering running too. "I can't fight properly with this light blasted thing sticking out of my chest. Okay I'm going to have to run for it, find Tuon and hide until this thing is out of me!" Mat growled under his breathe, while still firing at his adversaries. Of course what Mat had failed to notice was that Tuon had gone and gotten herself kidnapped (A/N Again!)

When Tuon woke up she was lying bound and gagged on the forest floor with a man standing above her and a major headache. "So, The little slut is awake" a scratchy voice growled from above her. "Are you ready to have a little fun with 'ol Jack?" her captor snarled at her while lowering himself to her level. 'Oh light! Is he? Oh my gosh he is! No don't touch me you sick pervert!' Tuon screamed at him with her mind, while shaking her head, and trying to wriggle away.

"Oh, the little princess is scared. Don't worry dalin' It may hurt at first, but I'll give you a deal of pleasure too." The man grinned at her in an evil manner, as she shuddered in revulsion. As 'Jack' started to rip her dress off of her though she went past revulsion, to utter terror. 'No. No. NO Please don't. Please. Mat. Help me!'

'Gotta run gotta run gotta run!' Mat thought while racing away from the battle he had no chance of winning. Not in his state, and not while Tuon was out there alone, with no means of protection except for one knife. For a few minutes past though, he had heard no sound's coming from behind them. 'Guess I lost them. Man I'm good! Now then' he thought as he slowed down to catch his breath, "Where's Tuon" he spoke the last out loud. "I suppose I could go back to the clearing and try to find out which way she went. Or I could just find out what that noise was." Mat suggested to him self as he heard the sound of cloth ripping A feet to his right.

Now Mat had expected to see any number of things. But he wasn't ready to see Tuon lying bound on the ground with no cloths on and a man atop of her. He could only stare in shock until he saw the tears on her face. But at that he lost it. "Damn you! I'll bloody kill you!" He screamed while racing towards the surprised would-be-rapist in a fury, completely forgetting the pain in his arm.

"Damn you! I'll bloody kill you!" When Tuon heard this she sobbed in relief. He had come for her! As 'Jack' was torn from his position atop her Tuon breathed again. "YOU" sound of flesh hitting flesh "DON'T" "DO THAT' "TO WOMEN!" When Tuon finally pulled herself into a sitting position she saw Mat beating the tar out of her attacker. He looked absolutely livid. "I hate men like you." Mat spoke after finally dropping the man "You don't deserve to live. You're absolutely the lowest and most hideous things to walk this land, and I swear on the light and hope of salvation and rebirth, that if you ever try to pull another stunt like that again, I will hunt you down and give you a slow and painful death, worthy of a scum bag like you." Mat finished in a dangerous tone. "Now if you value your measly existence I suggest that you get out of my sight as quickly as possible."

He then turned and raced to her side to start ripping Tuon's bindings off. "Are you all right? I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Did he hurt you? If he did I'll kill the bastard!" Tuon breathed a sigh of relief before breaking down in sobs once again. "It's all right. I'm here now. I won't let anything happen to you ever again." Mat whispered soothingly as he wrapped his coat around her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. Tuon welcomed it and continued to sob onto Mats chest for a few minutes.

"Thank you Mat, I don't now what I would have done if you hadn't come around." Tuon whispered after she had stopped crying. "Let me take care of that for you" Tuon said reaching for the arrow still embedded in Mat's shoulder. "Not now. When we're safe." Before Tuon could reply she was being pulled to her feet. Holding Mat's coat around her with one hand and Mat's in her other they headed off into the woods again.

"Okay, bight down. Now I'll pull it out on three, all right. One ... Two." On two Tuon ripped the arrow out of his flesh, sending a new wave of pain coursing through his veins. "See that wasn't too bad, now was it?" She then asked in a chipper manner. "Damn it women, next time do it on three!" Mat growled at her while she started to clean and wrap his wound. "Oh. You complain so much. Why did I get stuck playing nurse-maid to you anyway?" Tuon asked in a joking manner. "Just luck I guess." He replied with a grin. "But I'm glad your hear, OUCH! Be more careful why don't you?"

I'm soooooo sorry it took so long. I just spent a whole week with my BF and an awful weekend with my father, who by the way, I can't stand. So plz review to make me feel better. H'okay Bye bye!


	5. Fighting Fever

It's Late; RabidTortise

Disclaimer: I do not own Wheel of time or any Wheel of time merchandise. Both of those belong to Robert Jordan and TOR. But if I did own it I would be rich! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. And I would know what would happen next! I wouldn't have to guess. So anyway, here's my version of what will happen. Enjoy!

BTW: I wish I could get this up faster for you, but I've been a bit preoccupied with high school. Truth be told............I'm just a freshman. But you may thank Shaiel for this update, short though it is. For mailing me, and asking me to update, which I might not have done for about another month. I've been overwhelmed. High school sucks. And since I have once again been motivated... I shall have chapter 6 up for you ASAP! Now Read on.

"It's too big!" grumbled Tuon from behind the bush where she was trying on Mat's shirt. Mat chuckled at this; he was the one who would be walking around without a shirt, not her. Of course she was the one without any other clothes at all. But still. "Well" he grinned slyly "If you want to walk around naked, be my guest." "I should hit you for that comment." "But but ...... I'm wounded. You wouldn't hit a wounded man would you?" "Try me." She answered playfully emerging from behind the hedge. "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing" Mat answered too quickly, jerking his eyes from Tuons pearly white legs. This was going to be one difficult journey. "Nothing at all. Lets get moving again, shall we?"

As they headed off north again, Mat just couldn't keep his eyes on the road. They kept wandering down ward and slightly to his left. 'Damn it all, why does she have to have such beautiful legs?' Not that he minded, not at all. But he just couldn't focus. Well he could, just not on the road!

"We past this bush twice already." Tuon snapped exasperatedly, "You've somehow managed to get us lost haven't you?" "We're n.not lost. J.j.just t.tacking a short cut. Damn.n.n Its " Mat replied while shivering like mad. "What do you mean, its cold? I'm sweating...so are you! Are you alright?" Tuon asked in concern. She then reached up, before Mat could answer and felt his forehead. "Your burning up!" she exclaimed while jerking her hand back, almost as if she were in pain.

"That arrow must have been poisoned, you're on fire. Lie down." She commanded in a strong, but worried tone." How c.can I be on f...f...fire? Its so.o.ooo. Cold?" Asked Mat, not even thinking strait anymore. "I'm f.f.ine anyw.way. Just a chill.l.l!" But Tuon just wouldn't believe that it was as simple as a cold. "No you're not fine. You have a fever and your obviously not thinking strait. Or walking strait." She finished as Mat fell to his knees clutching his head. Tuon was at his side in a second "No! Not that. Please not again. Not aga.i.n." Was all he said before he slumped forward, unconscious.

"Mat! No Mat wake up. I don't know what to do." A now panicked Tuon cried, while gently shaking he fallen comrade. Her only response was for Mat to roll over, crying out at some demon in his mind. Tuon was scared. No, she was terrified. She had been raised above such things as taking care of wounded and sickly. Tuon knew nothing about medicinal herbs and techniques. But she couldn't just do nothing for the man she had come to care for, and maybe even love... "Love? I can't be in love! My kingdom needs me! My people need me! .......... But right now, Mat needs me!" The now determined princess finished. If she couldn't heal Mat, she could at least make him comfortable. So she set about doing just that.

After a few minutes of struggling with him, Tuon managed to get his cloak off the now hot Mat. She had just left to fetch water from a stream not twenty feet away, when a deafening scream was heard from the clearing where she had left Mat. Tuon jumped up in panic, dropping the water, and raced back to the clearing as quickly as her legs could carry her, only to find Mat, and Mat alone, Thrashing about on the ground screaming "NO! DON'T YOU DARE! DON'T YOU DARE TAKE HER YOU BASTARDS! DON'T YOU DARE!"

"Mat! Mat stop" Tuon screamed, running toward him. "Mat. Calm down. Its okay." When Mat heard her voice he visibly relaxed. But was still obviously terrified, so Tuon ran to him and embrace him. As he felt Tuons arms encircle him, his own arms moved of there own accord, and slipped around her, pulling her body close to his. After he held her for a while, Mat started to calm down, and soon his fever broke. But he still wouldn't let go of Tuon, whom was still beat red in the cheeks. Soon Mat slipped into sleep once again, but this time it was a peaceful sleep. And Mat still didn't seem to want to let go of Tuon.

"He seemed so worried" she whispered gently, brushing a strand of hair out of his eyes with a delicate hand. Mat groaned in his sleep and turned his head toward her. "Why did you calm down when you heard me?" She asked the sleeping man. Only... he didn't look like a man in his sleep. He looked so innocent, just like a child. Hard to believe that this man was capable of killing. Even in self-defense, Tuon did not think that she would be able to go to that extreme. Not that she had ever told anyone that. For the throne would have been held from her and prophecies never fulfilled.

Too bad Mat wasn't going to be moving anytime soon. Her hand was falling asleep. As if by thought. Mat rolled over right there, pulling Tuon with him. Looked like Tuon was sleeping here tonight. Not that there was anything wrong with that. "Nothing wrong with that at all" Tuon yawned before burying her head in Mats chest and falling into a deep and peaceful slumber. Unbeknownst to either of them though, both the companions had face-splitting grins on their faces the whole night through.

And that was how Mat awoke the next day, With the women of his dreams(quite literally) in his arms and feeling incredibly weak." Huh wha..."He mumbled, not remembering anything of the previous night. (A/N Sounds cheesy huh) His movement had caused the women in his arms to wake up and look down at him in shock. "How are you feeling today?" she asked after a few minutes of stunned silence, while sliding out of Mats grip. "What do you mean?" Mat asked warily, noticing that Tuon was still wearing his shirt. "What happened" He asked almost afraid of what the answer would be. So Tuon told him and his face became steadily redder as he had the fortune, or misfortune, to remember his fever dream (at that moment), of the past night. He couldn't look her in the face for days.

Finally. It took me days to think up this plot development, and weeks to write it. I don't know why, but I just couldn't think strait. Once again, thank you Shaiel for inspiring me to continue I will have the next chappie up soon as I can. No more messing around for me! R&R PLZ!


	6. Thats One!

Its Late: RabidTortise

Disclaimer- My life sucks. If I owned WOT my life would not suck. Therefore, since my life does suck, I cant be the owner of WOT. So if anybody accuses me of owning WOT, I would tell them straight out, that my life sucks. If I owned WOT my life would not suck. And Therefore, since my life does suck, I cant be the owner of WOT.

Sorry this took so bloody long. Please don't kill me! Just read and be happy. Remember, Reviews inspire me. So R&R if you love me. But if you don't, I understand, I mean this took me forever to get up. So if you want this up faster, then R&R. Either way, we both win! Now, read on!

"Are you sure your alright?" Tuon asked for the umpteenth time that hour. She was starting to get on Mats nerves. Of course, it meant that she cared about him. Which was a good sign. A very good sign. But, it maybe meant nothing. Probably nothing at all. Who knew the mind of a woman? What man actually knew the mind of a woman? If that was even possible. Damn. His mind was now rambling. 'What she does to me, I don't even know' he thought while answering Tuon question

"Yes damn it! I'm fine! Now will you stop asking me that!"

"But you were screaming in your sleep! How can I just stop caring when you were obviously terrified?"

"I was not screaming," He yelled. He realized what he had done and took a deep breath. That was no way to talk to a woman if you wanted to see the next dawn.

"I was not screaming," he repeated in a calmer tone "And I was not terrified. I was..." He stopped with a defeated look on his face. He couldn't come up with a good excuse and she would know it too.

"See, you have no excuse. You can't deny it. Something scared you. What happened?" She finished in a softer tone.

He didn't want to tell her. He couldn't bring himself to. Mat would have given anything to have never seen what he did. And he wasn't ready to relive it just yet, call it fear or call it terror, but he wouldn't; no couldn't, face that again. No, not now. This wasn't the time or place for that. Not while they were still lost, with no village in sight. Not while he, a simple gambler had to juggle with his emotions on the women lost with him, as well.

"Well? What happened?" Her eyes were so deep, compelling him to tell her everything. To spill to her his thoughts, dreams, fears, and love for her, all without a seconds thought. But he knew he couldn't. Maybe prophecy was with them, but life was never that easy. And though he wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms, and hold her there, with him, forever, he knew that he couldn't. Tuon may have been ready, but Mat, though, ever the womanizer, was not. There was just something about being loved to the extent of someone giving you their heart and soul, and trusting you not to shatter them into a thousand pieces, that frightened Mat to no end.

"Nothing...." He muttered, finally turning away. "Can we just forget it?" he was whispering by now.

"...Alright..." she answered, obviously hurt that he wouldn't confide in her. Which in turn, hurt Mat to know that he had hurt her. Ashes, she confused him. What was a man to do?

"Then stop your moping!" She snapped at him suddenly. Her mood swung fast enough to make any mans head spin. Tuon turned in a huff, and started to stomp off in the other direction before turning her head, to look over her shoulder, and stuck her tongue out at him. Then without a seconds notice, she took of at a run, leaving Mat to race after her.

Never had anyone affected her this way. He shouldn't have that power over her. It was just another weakness, no matter how right being near him felt. No, he shouldn't make her crave for his touch, or the butterflies in her stomach when he spoke to her, and most defiantly not the shivers that went down her spine whenever he was near her. No! Not since they could never be together, her mother would never allow it. Especially not with their age differences. Wait, Mat had never told her his age. A few years could mean anything from one to ten. It all depended on how you took a few...oh well. No time like now to find out.

"How old are you?" Tuon asked, finally breaking the heavy silence that had surrounded them all day.

"Why, my lady. Don't you know it's rude to ask a person their age?" Mat too, seemed to be more than ready to break that barrier down again.

"That old, hmm?"

"Older than dirt."

At this Tuon couldn't help but laugh. The happiness only lasted a moment though, as soon after, the heavy silence was once more present. This time though, it was to be Mat who broke it, and in the most astonishing way possible.

"You know," he said in an odd sort of detached way, staring at her all the while, "Your very beautiful when you smile."

Tuon could only gape in shock. Had he truly just said that? Then he did something else she never imagined he could do. He blushed! This was new. Then a thought struck her. -Now would be the perfect time for her revenge of all the indignities he caused her in the past.

"And your cute when you blush," she responded, trying not to grin, but she wasn't done yet. As Tuon turned to continue onward, her hand shot out and patted him on the buttocks as she walked by him, "And you also have a 'pretty arse'. Firm too," She then continued on as if nothing had happened, leaving a thoroughly stunned Mat, gapping in shock at her. Though she may have appeared unruffled by this, truthfully, Tuon was trying her best not to bust out laughing. When she turned back to see his face though, she lost the fight and nearly died laughing right then and there.

"I have a pretty arse do I?" Mat smirked at her laughing form, after finally recovering. With no more warning than this, Mat tackled her to the ground and started an all out wrestling match. He would have won had they not rolled down a nearby hill into an occupied field. Not that either of them noticed it at the time. They landed in a heap at the bottom of the hill, both with the wind knocked out of them, and trying not to laugh. After a few minutes, Tuon heard a voice full of mirth from under her.

"We have got to stop meeting like this." She sat up from the firm surface she was laying on, only to see Mat, beneath her, grinning. She was straddling his hips, his hands resting on her hips, and her hands on his chest, right where her head had been. Tuon looked at Mat, only to see him grinning at her like a cat grins at a mouse right after he's captured it, and is about to feast.

"Excuse me." Interrupted a female voice from above them. "But what are you doing in our fields?" Tuon looked up into the face of a pretty blonde farm girl, carrying a basket under her arm.

"We fell miss, and I would be getting up, but my companion seems to be very comfortable in my lap!" he turned his grin from the women standing above him, to the one in his lap, and laugh at both their expressions. When Tuon heard this she cuffed him across the head and stood up.

She turned to the farm girl and her family that now stood grouped around her, and opened her mouth. But before she could say anything though Mat grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

"Don't say a word, they might recognize your accent," He whispered to her. As she felt his hot breath on her ear, she shivered in spite of himself.

"We're just travelers headed to Andor, when we we're separated from our companions by a band of ruffians. We managed to escape, just barely with our lives and are now trying to meet up with them in Camelyn. We graciously apologize for landing in your fields, but as I said we fell down that hill behind us. We never meant to disturb you but if you would be so kind as to point us towards the nearest village, then we'll be out of your hair."

When he finished, it was all Tuon could do not to start laughing at the astonished faces of the poor family. Mat shouldn't have used such flowery words with such simple folks as these. There was not a chance in a million that they would possibly....

"Its just a mile and a half down the North Road, love," The mother, answered, completely shocking Tuon, though it didn't even seem to phase Mat in the slightest. In fact, he seemed to be quite pleased with this response. But the woman wasn't done yet.

"You poor girl," she addressed Tuon, "Just look at you clothes, what happened to you? No, that doesn't matter right now. Come, we'll get you cleaned up, your friend too." She finished firmly, taking Tuon by the arm, leaving no room for any argument. With an encouraging nod from Mat, Tuon had no choice but to follow her, and her girls into the house, with the men bringing up the rear.

The second Tuon vanished from Mats sight; Mat knew that this place would bring trouble. He was, however, grateful for help, as was Tuon, he was sure, but maybe they should have gone straight to the village. It had been two hours and still, she had not come back. The others said not to worry, that she was fine, but Mat was not to sure. Riina had been very content to keep Tuon away however. She was the blonde farm girl from before, and she had taken a liking to Mat. A very unhealthy liking.

"Why are you so worried about her? Don't you like me here with you?" Riina pouted from beside him. If she didn't stop soon, Mat was going to get mad. No he already was mad, but if she continued on this way, he might do something stupid, and regret it later.

"Of course I like being with you," he answered between even breaths, she preened at this, "But what is taking so long, surely they should be down by now" No sooner than Mat had finished his sentence, Tuon appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Mats breathe caught in his throat at the sight of her in a dress again. Not just any dress though, one that showed off far more cleavage, than Mat thought she had.

Mat continued to stare for a good minute, before; Riina brought him out of his shocked state by grabbing his hair, and bringing his face close to hers, and thoroughly kissing him. Mat was shocked silent, as was Tuon, for this was not a sight she had wanted to see at all. After a few seconds, Mat shoved her away and asked....

"What in the bloody pit of doom are you doing?" he yelled, thoroughly shaken

"But.but.but.you said you wanted me to." She stuttered out.

"What!" Mat yelped. "I would never do that!"

This was, unfortunately for Riina, when Tuon stepped in.

"You keep your hands off of my husband, you filthy wench!" She viciously whispered, getting right up into the other girls face. With out another word, she slapped her across the face, grabbed Mat by the arm, and drragged him out of the house and down the road.

Mat was stunned. Absolutely stunned speechless. Did he hear that right? He let her pull him along, more because he was too stunned to move himself, than anything else. Just as he got up the courage to ask her if he heard her right, Tuon turned around, and slapped him across the face as well.

"What was that for"? He said rubbing his cheek.

"Where else would she have gotten the idea into her head that you said she could kiss you, other than from you?" She vented angrily.

"I have no bloody idea, but I never said that." This was getting absurd, "Look, I did nothing, she kissed me! I swear, I never encouraged her in the least! It was all her! I swear!"

" Fine, I believe you." She muttered a few minutes later. She still didn't look happy about it, but at least she believed him.

"Thank y...Offff!!!!!!" Mat grunted as something smashed into him from the side, screaming, "YOUR BACK!!!"

YAH!! CLIFFY!!! Guess what, I'm not gonna tell you what will happen till later! So there!!! Now then, Some people asked me questions, and here are my answers!

**Shaiel- **When did it say, Tuon was black? When did I say that? Hmm. Don't confuse me! Yes I would love you to be my Beta- reader, but I need you to e-mail me first since when I went to your ID and tried to e-mail you, it didn't go through. Thank you for staying on top, and enjoying this enough to keep me going on it!

**DemonSlayer91- **I put that in the first chapter silly. And since I'm such an evil person.... You have to go back and read it again! !

**Skye Dragon- **Thank you for the nice long critique. I really need more people doing that. I will try to fix all this, but since I'm only one person, I do it one problem at a time. Plz continue to read and review/critique. I look forward to your next review.

To everyone else **I LOVE YOU ALL! Thank you for putting up with my awful writing style an horibl gramer. Because, jus remember this. I kant speel. Thank you all! And PLZ review ASAP! Bye**

RabidTortise over and out.


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